In the video, Sani was shown wearing a “Take America Back” hat and police say that Mahoney took him down and then “said ‘F**k you or f**k off’ to Sani before walking away.” Gerald Hoffin is also shown as participating in the attack.
Sani told the cops “Some people might find it offensive, but it’s 2025, man. It’s just a hat.”
When the officer interviewed Mahoney later, the instructor appeared unapologetic for an attack on the “ol’ boy”:
“I asked Mahoney what happened tonight. Mahoney said that he saw ‘ol’ boy’ walking around. Mahoney did not name Sani by name but said ‘I’ve seen this guy, f**king, on campus before. I know he’s like f**king Right Wing dude. He’s got a f**king, like, Make America Great Again
hat.”
The two men were charged with fourth-degree assault. Mahoney told police he had seen Sani on WSU’s campus and “knew he was a ‘right-wing dude.’” He added, “You wanna wear the hat, hey, there’s gonna be a price to pay.”
One would expect that any future teaching opportunities for Mahoney are quite limited, but many faculty members have espoused violent sentiments toward Republicans or conservatives. Some have been promoted or lionized for their positions.
Recently, California Governor Gavin Newsom declared, “I’m going to punch these sons of bitches in the mouth.” It follows other violent rhetoric from Democratic leaders. It is not surprising that people like Mahoney, even in higher education, believe that violence is the “price” that conservatives must be prepared to pay if they openly express their political views.
Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro professor of public interest law at George Washington University and the author of “The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage.”